Lola Weddings 2020

Here is your all-inclusive guide to Lola Magazine’s Weddings feature, broken down by section:

Something  OLD, Something NEW

A special thank you to Happily Ever After Bridal Boutique, Skeleton Key Vintage and Bullets and Butterflies Vintage for creating the most beautifully styled wedding shoot. 

To shop their styles please visit:

Happily Ever After Bridal Boutique

4801 Line Ave. #13, Shreveport, La 71106

www.happilyeverafterbb.com

Skeleton Key Vintage and Bullets and Butterflies Vintage at Kings Antique Mall

133 Kings Hwy, Shreveport, La 71104

@skeletonkeyvintage @bulletsandbutterfliesvintage

It’s a long-standing wedding tradition that brides wear something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue on their wedding day for good luck. Most brides incorporate that practice in a similar way—a blue garter, some borrowed and old jewelry or a new wedding dress. But if you’re looking to add some creativity to your special day, there are many ways to incorporate these old customs while adding a modern flair. Lola Magazine teamed up with Happily Ever After Bridal Boutique, Skelton Key Vintage and Bullets and Butterflies Vintage to show you some trendy ways to combine the old with the new. 

SOMETHING OLD

The bride’s “Something Old” item symbolizes her family, her past, and their traditions. The vintage trend is strong and here to stay, so there are plenty of ways to incorporate an “old” item into your ensemble. In addition to wearing a relative’s dress and jewelry from her wedding day, you can use: 

• A vintage hat or headpiece
• Your grandmother’s brooch
• A vintage veil
• Lace gloves
• An old locket, pin, or pocket watch incorporated into the bouquet
• An old family Bible with the rings tied on top 
• A strip of lace from your mom’s wedding dress wrapped around the bouquet or sewn into your dress

SOMETHING NEW

“Something New” is a symbol of a bride’s new life ahead of her. You may choose to select your dress as your “something new,” as many brides do, or you may receive a gift on the morning of the wedding from your fiancé. It could be earrings, a necklace, or a bracelet that would be suitable for the ceremony. Shop Happily Ever After Bridal Boutique for these wedding dress looks. 

SOMETHING BORROWED

Traditionally on loan from another happy bride, the “borrowed” item symbolizes happiness. Potential “borrowed” items include:

• A friend’s veil from her wedding
• A cake knife or cake topper from a relative or friend’s wedding
• Your cousin’s wedding shoes
• The earrings your mother wore on her wedding day
• Flowers from a family member’s garden for inclusion in the bouquet
• Your grandmother’s fur

SOMETHING BLUE

“Something Blue” is a symbol of fidelity, purity, and love. For Christian brides, it is also a symbol of the Virgin Mary. Options for “something blue” include:

• The couple’s names and wedding date embroidered inside the wedding dress in blue thread
• Sapphire jewelry
• Bright blue heels or blue-bottomed flats
• Blue nail polish
• A Vintage blue veil

VINTAGE ADORNMENTS

To achieve these looks on your wedding day, or any day, contact Sarah Lyles and Summer Swearingen with Skeleton Key Vintage and Bullets and Butterflies Vintage.

• Charming Costume Bracelets
• Colorful Wedding Veil
• Floral Head Pin
• Black Lace Gloves
• White Woven Hat
• Sapphire Brooch
• Bold Statement Necklace and Earrings

Pro-Tips From the Planner

Written by Tricia Stewart with The Nouveau Wedding

You got engaged, your Pinterest boards are overflowing with images of stylish wedding gowns and lush bouquets. Now what? 

We asked Tricia, wedding planner and florist at The Nouveau Wedding, to share her insider tips for newly engaged couples.

1. Get the budget talk out of the way first. Seriously… Just do it. I create budgets for all of my clients, but they are always customized to fit the couple’s specific wants and needs. Make a list of the top three things that are important to you. That’s where you should spend your money. If the food isn’t on that list, don’t splurge on catering. If flowers aren’t important to you, forgo those trendy floral installations (because they are not cheap, trust me). If entertainment is important to you, reach out to a booking agent and have them send you a list of bands that will bring the house down! The budget is nothing more than a reflection of what you want your wedding day to look and feel like. 

2. If you haven’t set a date, do not commit yourselves to any vendors within the first 3 weeks of getting engaged. If there’s a vendor you know for certain you want to work with, call them first and inquire about availability. Ask them to give you 2 or 3 dates that they’re available around the time you want to get married, then call the venue to see if they’re available on any of those dates. Most vendors will put a temporary hold on a date to allow time to get your vendors lined up. Take the first 3 weeks to establish a budget and talk with family members who will be financially contributing to your wedding. 

3. Open up a separate checking account for your wedding expenses. Most of your vendors will invoice you with an option to pay online and will require you to keep a credit card on file. It becomes confusing (and frustrating) when you pay some vendors with a check and some vendors with mom’s credit card and some vendors with your personal debit card, etc. Worst case scenario? Often vendors will charge the card on file for the remaining balance and oftentimes the card on file is not the card you wanted to use for the final payment. I’ve had this happen to friends and clients on their honeymoon, and guess what? They were stuck in another country without funds. 

4. When working with your florist, know that they have no control over mother nature, so be flexible about your floral design plan. If your wedding is at the end of a season, your florist can’t guarantee that every flower you’ve shown them will be available. The absolute best way to convey your vision to a florist is to give them examples of the colors and shapes of arrangements and bouquets that you love and let them take it from there. Chances are, you hired them because you loved their style, so let them do what they do! 

5. The more people you invite, the more expensive your wedding will be. Say it again out loud with me. “The more people you invite, the more expensive your wedding will be.” Creating a guest list is one of the most difficult tasks involved in planning a wedding. When clients come to me upset because they can’t afford the wedding dress they want, I say “yeah ya can. How bad do you want your mom’s Sunday school class to come to your wedding? Knock 5 people off your list and the dress is yours.” See how that works? 

6. Don’t be afraid to ask for payment plans. As a wedding planner, we’re often the first vendor a client hires, so we tend to work with the client for a longer period of time. We have a payment plan that allows the client to pay an initial deposit, and then make monthly payments until 30 days prior to the wedding. If a vendor isn’t open to the idea of a payment plan, it’s most likely for a good reason, so don’t feel defeated if they can’t accommodate this request. 

7. Have a Rain Plan! Mother nature attends every wedding, so you need to prepare for her presence. I’m not just referring to rain; extreme temperatures and wind can also disrupt your wedding plans. If you are having an outside wedding, please consider budgeting for a tent. 1. It not only serves as coverage from rain, it also shields your guests and your decor from the wind. If you are battling extreme temperatures, renting heaters or an AC unit will not suffice if you don’t have a tent to hold the temperature in. Also, I can’t stress enough about how important it is to hire a reputable, local tent company. This is not an area you want to cut cost in. Ask your planner who they recommend. Read online reviews. Talk with your venue manager about it. If there is a drastic difference in cost, there’s probably a reason why, so do the research and make an educated decision.

I hope this list helps ease a little bit of the anxiety that comes with planning a wedding. I’m biased of course, but I can honestly say that one of your best investments would be to hire a professional to plan or assist you with planning your wedding. We have invaluable information and relationships that ultimately save you money in the long run. I also want to encourage you to use local wedding vendors. We have such an amazing group of talented professionals in our area and, with your support, our industry will continue to thrive. 

Set up a free consultation with us online at www.thenouveauwedding.com to see if we are the right fit. Pro-tip, you’ll be spending A LOT of time with your wedding planner, so you definitely want to make sure you vibe with them before signing a contract! 

A New TAKE on the CAKE

Written by Angela Vinet

Goodbye wedding cake, hello dessert table.

The latest and greatest wedding craze has brides ditching sweet tradition from the standard, tiered, white wedding cake to a mouth-watering dessert table full of assorted confections sure to make the strictest of dieters grab a quick nibble.

Offering an assortment of goods, brides are commissioning their bakers to get creative in the kitchen by whipping up sweet treats for wedding guests in the form of smaller portions with plenty of savory variety.

As an alternative to the standard white wedding cake, towers of couples’ favorite desserts, tiered dessert trays, grab-n-go bite-size portions, as well as several smaller wedding cakes varying in flavors, are some of the hottest trends in weddings. Brides have been having fun with their confections of choice, offering their favorite sweets for all to eat.

Tiers of Treats

From brownies, cupcakes, and cake pops to mini bundt cakes and donuts, brides have been serving beloved favorite sweets as a treat for all. A budget-friendly option, couples are finding this less wasteful when serving bite-sized portions. Placing favorite sweets on the tiers, guests can peruse the desserts quickly and easily.

Macaron Towers

Towers of these specialized, delicate French cookie sandwiches are not only a feast for the eyes but perfect for sophisticated tastes. A sweet ganache of any flavor filling inside two light meringue biscuits is a delicate treat for the taste buds. While not excessively sweet, the appeal of these savory cookies as a high-end dessert is due to their airy and delicate taste coupled with their difficulty to create. These chic towers are works of art, as are the cookies themselves.

Personalized Desserts

Vibrant fruit tartlets, mini parfaits, small cheesecake bites topped with berries – these small desserts are by far the most popular new trend for brides. Guests are enjoying the sampling, while some of these dessert bites are too beautiful to eat. Visually appealing, the personalized dessert table is where couples will find their guests returning throughout the entire evening.

Mini Wedding Cakes

Brides wanting a variety of flavors for their wedding cake can have it all with several smaller wedding cakes. Quite lovely when all placed together on the table, these smaller versions of the mega wedding cake allow guests to sample their favorite flavors, thus accommodating everyone’s taste buds. Mini cakes with bold blooms, wildflowers, and fruits are trending with brides. Still a timeless look, mini cakes add a little variety.

LOVE Don’t Cost a Thing… Or Does It?

Written by Tricia Stewart

Top five unexpected wedding costs

1. Alterations: Very rarely will a bride be able to buy an item off the rack and wear it down the aisle. Wedding dress designers design dresses according to standardized sample sizes, and unless you’re extremely lucky, your wedding gown is going to require some alterations, whether that means hemming the gown, taking it in (or letting it out), or structural changes like adding or removing straps.
2. Pre-wedding attire: Don’t kid yourself. You are going to want a new dress for your rehearsal dinner… and most likely your showers… and of course, your bachelorette party! It’s fine, just budget for it!
3. Hair and makeup trials: Brides usually budget for the cost of hair and makeup services on the day-of but often forget how important it is to have a trial done to ensure the look you’re going for can be achieved.
4. Day of stationary: Don’t forget about the “Welcome” sign… the “His and Hers Cocktail” sign… the “Gifts” sign… With all of the amazing calligraphy and paper options, we have now, it’s easy to get carried away with signage. Pro Tip: If it’s an area that guests will not be spending too much time in, don’t spend too much money elevating it. One professionally designed sign makes more of an impact than several small signs.
5. Postage: You know you’ll need stamps for your outer envelope, but don’t assume you can get by with a standard stamp. An invitation with inserts, such as a direction card or map, will require additional postage due to the increased weight. You’ll also want to pre-stamp the RSVP envelope. Your cost per invitation can increase from the standard $0.35 [for a postcard] to as much as a couple of dollars. If you have a guest list of 200 people, the additional postage quickly adds
up.

Bouquet Basics

Written by Tricia Stewart

1. Budget: If you have a budget, tell your florist. A good florist will be able to advise on effective ways to reduce the costs.
2. Book your florist early: Don’t leave it to the last minute and risk being disappointed as a good florist will always be highly sought after.
3. Find out what flowers are in season on your wedding day: Flowers have seasons so make sure you take this into consideration when choosing which flowers to incorporate in your bouquet.
4. Consider Your Wedding Gown: As well as considering blooms that best express your personality, they need to also complement your wedding gown and tie in with the general look and theme you’ve selected for the day. Remember to take a picture of your dress when you meet with your florist as the style, shape and detail of your dress will help determine the design of your bouquet.
5. Consider the shape and size of your bouquet carefully: For example, if you have a long train or bustle at the back of your dress, you might want to balance the look with a more dramatic bouquet. A ballgown should be able to hold its own against an overflowing cascading bouquet. However, a simple sheath gown would not.
6. How to hold your bouquet in photos: If you can remember (ask your maid of honor to remind you), hold your bouquet in one hand and below your hip, slightly away from your dress so that you can see the silhouette of your dress. This will also relax and open your shoulders, which improves your posture and looks much more relaxed in photos.
7. Make it picture perfect: Photos of bouquets and flower arrangements make stunning pictures, so be sure to ask your photographer to get plenty. A good photographer will be able to come up with some creative ways on how to best photograph them and incorporate the surrounding props.
8. Keep your bouquet looking fresh into the evening: If you have a hand-tied bouquet, you are likely to be able to refresh it at the end of the day by cutting an inch off the stems and dropping it into water. Perhaps a job for your mom or maid of honor.

Enjoy your beautiful bouquet and remember you don’t have to toss it, you can always preserve it!

BEST DAY EVER: It’s All in the DETAILS

Decorations and floral arrangements by Everything Artsy Events, Calligraphy by Paperglaze Calligraphy

Your wedding day is one you will never forget. Make your big day a day your guests will never forget as well as one with fun, festive details. This bride and groom exchanged vows with a traditional church ceremony followed by an outdoor reception overflowing with all the darling details. Every corner of the venue was lined with charming elements both heartfelt and fun. Whatever size or style your wedding may be, it is your day to make as memorable as possible. Unique and thoughtful details will help make your wedding truly unforgettable.

Bar Menu: Display a fun drink menu so your guests know what to expect before ordering their beverage. This will cut down their time in line and get them on the dance floor faster.
Hashtag: Display your wedding hashtag so guests know how to share their personal photos on social media. This guarantees you won’t miss any party pics from your big day.

Directions: If your venue has several different areas, directions come in handy for both guests and any staff you may have to help with your celebration.
Words of Wisdom: Give your guests the opportunity to share their “words of wisdom” on marriage. These treasured keepsakes will be sure to bring you joy for years to come.

Dancing Shoes: If the band is rocking, make sure the dance floor is too! Providing a basket full of dancing shoes (aka inexpensive flip-flops) will be the hero for ladies in heels. Keep them comfortable and keep them dancing.
Party Favors: Party favor options are available for every kind of wedding celebration. This outdoor reception provided guests with light-up tambourines, microphones, and feather boas. These fun additions kept the whole wedding engaged in celebrating with the band and the happy couple all evening long.
Sentimental Touches: The bride’s father, who also happens to be a talented artist, hand drew Save the Date postcards and wedding invitations that were also displayed at the reception. Even if your father is not an artist, finding ways to add a sentimental touch to your stationary creates anticipation for how unique your celebration will be.

Kids’ Tables: Keeping your little guests happy will, in turn, keep all your guests happy. Designate an area for children to be children and enjoy themselves. Set out baskets of crayons, coloring books, bubbles, and games on kid-sized tables, keeping in mind items that will not stain their wedding attire. These thoughtful goodies will make children feel like the special little guests they are.

Sparkler Sendoff Station: Setting up a sendoff station will let everyone know the plan and politely inform them what time the party is over.
Late Night Snacks: After hours of dancing and celebrating, guests can work up an appetite. This groom served up his personal favorite, a platter of pizza rolls, as the band played the last few songs of the night. There were a lot of happy groomsmen to be found, but not a pizza roll to spare.

Dress the Rest

Written by Tricia Stewart

Mother of the bride: Because it’s your BIG day, too

Google “What is the mother of the bride supposed to wear?” and you’ll find hundreds of articles stating what the mother of the bride is not supposed to wear. Red is too flashy, black represents mourning, and of course white is a major no-no.

Thankfully, we’re starting to see a shift in MOB fashion expectations and finding the perfect outfit can be as easy as heading to your favorite local boutique. We know it’s “your wedding,” but your mother is feeling just as much pressure to look gorgeous on your special day as you are. Encourage her to complement the color scheme of the bridal party but let her choose her own fabric and style. If your mom has a favorite local clothing boutique, start there. If they don’t have something suitable in stock, ask them to keep you in mind the next time they go to the market. They can also call their designers to see if they can ship a few options to their store for her to try on.

Consult the bride Ask your daughter what vision she has for her wedding so you can shop accordingly – is she going for a boho feel or a black-tie dress code?

Choose a dress early on Traditionally, the mother of the bride picks her dress before the mother of the groom. Consider the location The mother-of-the-bride dress should complement the venue’s vibe.

Make sure you’re comfortable Comfort is key. Continue to search until you find the right dress that you can stand in, sit in, and dance in. No matter how gorgeous a dress is, the last thing you want to be doing on your daughter’s big day is fidgeting with your dress.

Keep the color palette in mind It is important that the photos and the overall style and color blends nicely with the bridesmaids and other members of the wedding party.

Tips for picking a color:
If the bridesmaids wear black or navy, try wearing silver, champagne or charcoal grey
If the bridesmaids wear gold or neutrals, try wearing gold, champagne or ivory
If the bridesmaids wear red or pink, try wearing champagne, taupe or floral prints with red or pink tones
If the bridesmaids wear blush, try wearing burgundy, champagne, or floral print with pink or neutral tones
If the bridesmaids wear light blue or silver, try wearing navy, charcoal or French blues

“His & Her” Wedding Specialty Cocktails

Written by Sabrina Newell of Lou Lou Sucre’

For more fun cocktails and entertaining tips follow Sabrina on Instagram and at LouLouSucre.com

It’s your big day, so why wouldn’t you want to make it your own from start to finish? One of the most amazing ways to put your mark on your celebration is with signature his & her cocktails. Coming up with “his & her cocktails” is a fun way to show your guests who you are. Some couples serve cocktails such as what they enjoyed on their first date or something fun that they’ve enjoyed at one of their favorite vacation destinations. The sky is the limit really. It’s also such a great way to let your guests know how special they are for attending by serving them a custom cocktail.

When choosing your custom “his & her cocktails” you should consider the ingredients, colors, and even the theme of your wedding. Also, make sure not to forget about the vessel and even the garnishes. For these “his & her cocktails,” I took traditional cocktails such as a sidecar and a French 75 base and tweaked them a little. The great part about using a classic cocktail is that you can change the spirit base and add a few different ingredients and you get a fun, custom libation perfect for your big day.

Blackberry Rum Sidecar

3 blackberries
¾ oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
¾ oz. Grand Marnier
2 oz. dark Rum, I used Bayou Rum Special Release Single Barrel
1 drop Habanero Bitters (I used Bitterman’s)
Garnish with 3 blackberries
To make the cocktail:
Muddle the blackberries in the bottom of a shaker.
Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, Grand Marnier, and rum. Add ice and shake vigorously to combine.
Place a large single ice cube in a double old-fashioned glass and pour contents of shaker over the ice.
Add the drop of habanero bitters and garnish with blackberries.

Spiced Cucumber Citrus Sparkling Cocktail

½ oz. cucumber juice, finely strained to remove seeds
2 oz. spiced citrus juice*
½ oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
2 oz. Yellowfin Otoro Vodka
Champagne or Sparkling Wine
Garnish with a cucumber slice and a sprig of fresh mint
For the Spiced Citrus Juice:
2 large ruby red grapefruit, juiced
2 Cara Cara oranges, juiced
2 blood oranges, juiced
2 lemons, juiced
2 limes, juiced
¼ cup cardamon seeds
½ cup fresh mint
Combine all juices, cardamon seeds, and mint in a covered glass jar and allow to sit in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, until
desired taste.

Strain and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
To make the cocktail: Combine the cucumber juice, spiced citrus juice, St. Germain, and vodka in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Pour into a coupe glass and top with champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with a cucumber slice and a sprig of fresh mint.

Say “I Do” to the Venue

Written by Tricia Stewart

*This is a condensed version of the Venues article. For the full version, check out the March/April 2020 issue of Lola.*

Finding the perfect venue for your wedding is one the most important and difficult decisions you’ll have to make. If you choose to work with a wedding planner, hire that person before you begin scouting for one. They’ll know which ones are reputable and they’ll know the right questions to ask. Here are a few important questions to ask the venue manager during your first visit.

Is there a service charge and what is it applied to? I can’t stress this enough. The cost of the venue is almost always more than it appears to be. You’ll want to do an apple-to-apples comparison between venues, and in order to do so, you need to know the total costs involved and what services and amenities are included.

How many hours of setup time do we have? This is crucial to know. If the venue only gives you 5 hours to set up prior to the wedding, you need to prepare to have all hands on deck the moment the doors open, which will require you to hire additional staff members or recruit more friends and family to assist. Trust me when I say it WILL take longer than you anticipate!

Will you have a manager on staff during my wedding? Invest time in getting to know the venue manager. Chances are, if you have a wedding planner, they will have an established relationship with them, so you’re covered, but if you don’t have a wedding planner, you’ll need your venue manager to be on point on your wedding day. If the person selling you the venue space will not be present on the day of, don’t be afraid to ask to meet the person who will be. This person will be handling elements of your wedding that are crucial to the overall experience and they are more likely to jump in and help out if they know you personally.

What is the venue manager responsible for? Some venues offer an all-inclusive package that includes styling and coordination services. Some venues require their venue managers to assist vendors during load in, assist in bussing the tables, and assist the bridal party with wedding related issues. Some venues don’t require their venue managers to assist in any capacity. Lastly, some venues don’t require a venue manager to be present at all. Know what to expect from the staff so you can be prepared before the day comes.

Can I choose my vendors? Some venues choose to exclusively work with their list of preferred vendors, and that’s ok, you just need to know that before you sign the contract. If you’ve dreamed of having a certain photographer shoot your wedding and they are not on the venue’s preferred vendor list, you have a decision to make. Tip – don’t be afraid to ask for an exception.